Photographing-machine.



F. M. HOLMES.

PHOTOGRAPHING MACHINE, APPLICATION FILED APR. 1.7, 1906.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED APB.. 17, 1906.

930,378. .Patented Aug. `10, 1909.

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P. M. HOLMES.

PHOTOGRAPHING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED APB. 17, 1906.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ANDREW. a. Gamm co.. Pww-Llmorilun-lzns. WASHINGTON. D4 c.

PATENT OFFCE.

FRANK M. HOLMES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PHOTOGRAPHING-MACHIN'E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

Application filed April 17, 1906. Serial No. 312,122.

To all whom it may] concern.'

Beit known that I, FRANK M. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of New Yorlr, in the county and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographing--Machines, of which lthe following is a full,

clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention has relation to that class of photographing machineswherein the photographic plate is located by mechanical means, forexposure, and by like means subiected to the action of the developer ordeve oping liquid, then transferred to the iixing solution and thuscompleted for delivery.

rlhe primary object of my invention is to provide or produce aphotographing machine of the general class above named which shall )e ofcomparatively few and simple parts, easy of construction, reliable andefficient in action, and which may be employedL for the urposes oftaking original pictures or copying other pictures by any person ofordinary skill.

Subordinate objects are to improve the means whereby the transfer of theplate from one point to another within the machine are made certain andreliable anc not liable to get out of order and to render the partsdurable and eliicient for the purposes intended.

To accomplish the foregoing objects and to secure other and furtheradvantages in the matters of construction, operation, application anduse, my improvements involve certain new and useful peculiarities ofconstruction, relative arrangements or combinations of parts andprinciples of operation, as will be herein first fully described andthen pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanyingT drawings l have represented a photographing machineconstructed and arranged for operation in accordance with my inventionand involving my improvements, and in these drawings, Figure l is avertical view, partly in section and partly in elevation, on a planethrough the axis of the lens holder, showing the parts in position whichthey assume when the machine is not in operation. 2 is a vertical view,on a plane at right angles with Fig. 1., showing the plate feedingmechanism as turnen down and the vessel containing the developer aselevated to receive a plate, pori tions being shown as broken away tofacilitate the illustration. Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar' to Fig.2 but showing lthe plate feeding mechanism turned bach to the positionindicated in Fig, l and the vessel for containing the developer likewiserestored to the position indicated in i. Fig. 4 is a vertical view,partly in section and partly in elevation, affording a side elevation ofthe interior mechanism in the position shown in Figs, 1 and 3. Fig. 5 isa vertical section and elevation on a plane parallel with the front ofthe machine and showing the interior mechanism in elevation and inposition which the parts assume when the vessel containingl thedeveloper is depressed to its extreme limit` and the feed mechanismturned to an upright position. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of afragment showing the plate holder and the detent by which the plate ishold in ordinary upright position, and. Fig. 7 is a similar view showingthe plate hold er turned through an angle of Q00 from the positionindicated in (5 and held in the new position. Fig. 8 is a detail view,in side elevation, showing the tripper applied. in connection with. theplate holder and corresponding with Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a plan view of thevessel for containing the developer, the cover being omitted and 4theinterior arrangements being shown in detail.

In all these figures like characters of reference, wherever they occur,indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a case of desired form and size and of suitable materialwithin which the mechanism is located and'from which light is excluded.One side of the case is preferably arranged so that it may be opened topermitof the easy introduction of a number' of sensitized plates,admitting of the application in its place of a plate orpiece with theusual flexible hood or cover to exclude light when the hand is insertedin the case, but these details may be provided for in any preferredmanner and they are unnecessary to be shown herein.

B is the tube for containing the lens or lenses of any suitablecharacter for photographing, the same being suitably mounted inconnection with the frame for the mechanism, as on a front plate B1which is held in position by screws, the lens tube reaching through anaperture in the front wall of the case.

C, C, are the side frames for supporting the operating parts, the samebeing preferably of cast metal and suitably braced one to the other.

D, D, is a magazine suitable for containing a number of sensitizedplates for use in the machine, a small number of these plates beingrepresented at a in the magazine at Fig. l. The magazine is composed ofa bottom and two side plates sustained upon a suitable bracket Dl, thetwo side plates being separated by a suitable distance and havingflanged margins to confine the sensitized plates between them, and themagazine is therefore open at front, top and bach. The bottom of themagazine is pivoted or hinged, as at D2, so as to tilt easily and thusenable the top one of the stach of sensitized plates to assume aposition parallel with the chute or the hinged arm as soon as it isstrucl: by the magnet for commencing the operation of feeding. TWhen themagazine is properly charged and a supply of the developer and of thefixer introduced, the machine is ready to be operated.

The sensitized plates are successively withdrawn from the magazine bythe mechanism provided for that purpose and subsequently deposited inthe plate holder back of the lens where they are each exposed in turnfor photographing. To withdraw the plates from the magazine and todeposit them in the plate holder, the mechanism (called the feedingmechanism) is of peculiar construction. Tclift the plates one at a timefrom the stack, I employ a magnet, preferably of the horse-shoe pattern,represented at E. This magnet is sustained upon a swinging or hingedpiece, F, mounted on a shaft l), the latter being provided with a hey,c, extending through to the exterior of the case, the opening for thekey shaft in the case being protected by a suitable slide, as d, toexclude light. rlhe piece F constitutes a chute and is wide enough toeasily accommodate one of the sensitized plates and permit it to slidedown and out of the chute when released by the magnet. The chute withthe magnet reaching through an opening in its bottom is swung over bythe key CZ and enters the front opening in the magazine, the walls ofthe magazine being suitably curved as indicated, so as not to interferewith the forward and backward movements of the chute.

rlhe poles of the magnet or the extremities of the horse-shoe are veryslightly inclined with respect to the bottom of the chute or withrespect to the line drawn to one of them from the center of the shaft c.rlhe purpose of this is so that both poles of the magnet will not strikethe plate at precisely the same time, but rather one pole first so thatthe plate will be lifted from the stacl in an inclined direction,thereby preventing the magnet from so magnetizing the stack of platesthat it will be liable to lift more than one plate at a time. The magnetis applied to the chute and secured thereon by two side pieces El, E1,between which it is pinched by a suitable bolt; and side pieces, as F1,F1, are connected with the chute and extend so as to form a seating forthe axis of the shutter, leaving an open space between them throughwhich the magnet projects. rlfhe chute F is supplied at its upper partwith a shutter, G, the same being hinged, as at e, and arranged to beswung up or out of the way and over to the front of the magazine whenthe chute is turned forward to take up a sensitized plate. The purposeof the shutter is to cover the plate against possible exposure to suchlittle light as may possibly iind its way into the case. rf'he shutter Gis supplied with a projecting arm or rod f, and a curved guide or wire gin the path of this arm f is applied in connection with the frame of themachine. The rod g is so bent that as soon as the shutter is turnedforward, the rod g bears en the projecting arm f and causes the shutterto open on its hinge. After the magnet has seized one of the sensitizedplates it is turned bach to its final position when the shutter G closesover it and the plate is then released (by suitable means) from themagnet and slides down the chute F and into a guide, H, which directs itin its fall into the plate holder at the rear of the lens holding tube.lhe plate is then in the position where it is to be exposed forreceiving the picture. To detach the plate from the magnet after thechute has been turned bacl: to its final position, two pieces as F2 andF2 are applied on the rod which connects the upper part of the frame C,C, and these project up far enough so that when the chute is turned bachthey will extend beyond the limit of the poles of the magnet and on eachside of the magnet, passing through the open portion of the chute orbetween the projecting parts F1, F1. `When the sensitized plates strikethese pieces F2 and the magnet is turned farther bacs, the piecesseparate the sensitized plate from the magnet and allow it to slide downthe inclined chute by gravity. The plate holder is of peculiarconstruction as will be hereinafter explained and is provided with abent and hinged arm or lever 7L which operates to detain the platein theproperposition within the plate holder.

The exposure is effected by opening the shutter l which covers the outerextremity of the lens holding tube B. This shutter l is mounted upon apiece K which is hinged, as at t, and adapted to be turned baclf` intothe case by pressing upon its outer extremity, thereby opening the lensholding tube to the admission of light. This shutter is automaticallyclosed as soon as the finger pressure is removed, it being supplied witha suitable weight, as L, connected to it by a cord running over apulley, 7c, and attached to the lower part of the piece K. When thepiece K is turned into theV case it elevates the weight L which, onbeing released effects the closing of the shutter l. The weight Ltravels up and down in a short section of tubing l which is provided forthe purpose olI covering it. By covering the lens in this manner andthen by uncovering it at the pro )er time, the sitter is made to knowprecise y when the picture is being taken.

The plate holder, represented at M, is mounted upon an axis or shaft, N,and this shaft is supplied with a removable lrey, m, by which it may beoperated fro-rn the exterior oi the case, the opening through the casebeing protected by a suitable plate, n. Applied in connection with theshaft N is a disl' O, the same being notched at points 90o from eachother, and aholding spring or detent, o, arranged to engage with thenotches in said disk, operates to lzeep the holder either in its uprightposition or in a horizontal position, to either ol' which positions itniay be adjusted.

The sensitized plates are of greater length than width, and whendelivered to the plate holder they stand up endwise, which is theordinary position for a plate intended to receive the picture of asingle individual or subject. At times it -is desirable tophotograph agroup or to turn the plate so that one of its longest sides will remainuppermost. lt is for this turning of the plate that the plate holder ismounted upon a turning shaft. lf the plate has been exposed in the plateholder and in upright position, then it is released by withdrawing thearm h so as to permit the plate to drop out of the holder. lhis arm h isoperated by suitable connections for the purpose through the medium of arod p mounted in guides applied upon the plate holder and supplied witha suitable spring, q, to return the rod to its normal position. T he rodengages with the lever or arm h and upon being raised will swing thelever back, thus releasing the plate. 1VV hen the holder is turned, therod p and the lever l? turn with it, and before the plate can bereleased from the plate holder the latter must be turned bacl to itsoriginal upright position. The crank or lever on the outer end of thekey m will indicate the position of the plate holder, whetherv uprightor horizontal.

1G is a vessel for containing a suitable developing solution in whichthe plates are to )e immersed after having been exposed and deliveredfrom the plate holder. This vessel is mounted in the frame of themachine so as to be moved up and down, and for this purpo se the frameis supplied with suitable guiding strips as 1.1, 11, and the vessel withprojecting arms, as 12, 12, calculated to ride upon the guiding stripsand coniine thel vessel to its proper path. A forked lever, 13,

pivoted or hinged, as at 14, in a suitable bracket, 15, projects throughto the exterior ofthe casing, the aperture in the casing being coveredby a suitable plate, 16. The forked lever engages with suitableprojections, as 17, on the side of the vessel and it is connected with asuitable spring, 18, by which it is automatically returned to its normalhorizontal position after having been moved either'up or down. Toprevent evaporation of the developing solution, the vessel 10 issupplied with. a cover, 19, the same being hinged, as at 20, andcarrying a light spring, as 21. The cover projects slightly back of thehinge and in the path of this projecting part is located a stationarypiece 22, the operation of which is, when the vessel is ele vated, tocause the cover 19 to turn back so as to leave the top of the vesselopen. When the vessel is raised to its uppermost position the spring 21bears against the back of the vessel. rlhis prevents the cover fromswinging too far back or out of the vertical line, otherwise when thevessel is returned the cover could not automatically drop to its closedposition, being inclined too far back beyond the hinge line and itscenter of gravity being then on the wrong side of the hinge line. Asuitable stop cock is provided near the bottom ofthe vessel 10, shown inFigs. 2 and 3 for the purpose of withdrawing the liquid from its tankwhenever required. rlhat the cover may elfectually close the otherwiseopen mouth or top of the vessel, it is supplied with a sheet of softrubber or simi-- lar material, represented at 22/ and attached to thecover by being entered in grooves or channels around its margin,substantially as indicated or by other equivalent means of securing itin place. When the vessel 10 is elevated by depressing the outer end ofthe lever 13, the cover 19 is automatically opened and the rod p iselevated by contact with one of the guiding iieces 12, and this causesthe detent lt to release the plate which then drops into the openreceptacle, after which the re ceptacle is lowered sufficiently to closethe cover, or the lever 13 returned to its substantially horizontalposition.

For convenience in noting the length of time the plate is immersed inthe develop-ing solution, the case is supplied upon its exterior withany suitable form of indicator or time piece, as 23, which may be woundand which is preferably provided with an alarm bell, as 24. Afterexpiration of the proper nlimit -of time, the plate is to be dischargedfrom the vessel 10 and into the vessel 25, which latter contains thefixing solution. To effect this discharge of the plate from the vessel10 the latter is supplied upon its interior with a suitable frame, 26,having strips 27, 2'?, inclined downwardly toward the front of thevessel 10, on which strips the plate is received, then lying in thedeveloping solution in an inclined position. Attached to the frame 26 oneach side and passing out over the upper mouth of the vessel are arms28, 28, the same being perforated to engage hooks or stops, as 29, 29,fastened upon the frame. lhen the vessel l0 is lowered below thelocation of the stops 29, the latter engage the arms 2S and sustain theframe 26 with the inclined pieces 27, and when the vessel is carrieddown far enough to expose the lowered ends of the inclined pieces 27,then the plate is free to slide from these inclined pieces and it isthus by gravity automatically projected into the vessel 25 and into thesolution contained therein. From this vessel 25 the completed plate iswithdrawn after having been sufficiently exposed to the hxing solution.The inclined pieces 27 project into a slight recess in the front wall ofthe vessel 10, as shown in Fig. 9, so that the plates will not becomewedged between the wall of the vessel and the lower ends of the pieces27.

To prevent the developed plato from becoming lodged in the vessel 25 sothat it cannot be easily re noved, the bottom of this vessel ispreferably curved, substantially as indicated. The vessel 25 is in theform of a tray which may be easily slid into or out of the case, thefront wall of the tray closing the openingl in the front of the case. Toproperly guide the sliding tray to the position which it should occupyin the case, suitable guides, 30, 30, project inward from the sideplates, and a stop, 31, the rear of the tray prevents it from bein@pushed in too far.

The machine being constructed and arranged for operation substantiallyin accordance with the foregoing explanations will be found to admirablyanswer all the purposes or objects of the invention hereinbeforealludedto.

Having now fully described my invention, what l claim as new herein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. ln a photographing machine, the combination with a magazine forcontaining a number of sensitized plates and a plate holder, of a hingedchute for withdrawing the plates one at a time from the magazine andpermitting them to fall into the plate holder, said hinged chute beingprovided with a magnet, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. ln a photographing machine, the combination with the magazine and aplate holder of a hinOed )ieee in the form of chute, said piece beingprovided with a horseshoe magnet applied thereto, substantially in themanner and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a photographing machine, the combination with a magazine, plateholder and a hinged chute for transferring plates from the magazine tothe plate holder, of a shutter hinged upon the said hinged chute,substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

l. In a photographing machine, the combination with the hinged chute andthe hinged shutter applied thereon, of an arm projecting from theshutter and a rod for bearing on said arm to open the shutter as thechute is turned forward and permit it to close as the chute is turnedbackward, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. in a photographing machine, the combination with the magazine havinga curved front and back, of the hinged chute having a magnet appliedthereon, said chute being arranged to be swung into the magazine betweenthe side plates thereof, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

6. In a photographing machine, the combination with the hinged chntehaving a magnet and a shutter applied in connection with the chute, of aremovable hey arranged to be applied upon the axis of the chute, for thepurposes and objects named.

7. rlhe combination with the hinged chute and the magnet applied inconnection therewith, of the stationary pieces arranged to projectthrough an opening in the chute and beyond the final position of themagnet poles for the purpose of detaching the sensitized plate from themagnet at the time and in the manner set forth.

S. ln a photographing machine, the combination with the hinged chute, amagazine for sensitized plates, and a plate holder, of a guide locatedbetween the lower end of the chute and the plate holder and arranged todirect the plates from the chute into the plate holder, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

9. In a photographing machine, the combination with the lens holdingtube and means for mechanically feeding sensitized plates to a positionfor exposure, of a plate holder for receiving the sensitized plates,said holder being mounted upon a shaft or axis and arranged to be turnedso that the plate may be exposed with one edge either vertical orhorizontal, as may be desired, substantially in the manner and for thepurposes set forth.

l0. The combination of the plate holder, a hinged. detcnt appliedthereon, a rod connected with said detent, a movablevessel forcontaining a developing solution, and an arm on said vessel arranged. tocontact with and lift the said rod, substantially as shown anddescribed.

l1. ln a photographing machine, the combination with the frame, of avertically adjustable 4vessel for containing a developing solution, aplate holder, and means for releasing a plate from said holder when thevessel is elevated, substantially as set forth.

12. rllhe combination with the vessel for containing a developingsolution, of a hinged cover, means for adjusting the said vessel up anddown, and means for automatically opening the said cover when the vesselis clevated, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. The combination with the vessel for containing developing solution,of a hinged cover, means for adjusting the said vessel up and down, astationary piece for contacting with a projecting portion of the coverwhen the vessel is raised, and a spring connected with the cover,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. In a photographing machine, the combination of a vessel forcontaining a developing solution, means for adjusting said vessel up anddown, a frame for sustaining a sensi tized plate within the vessel, andmeans for arresting said frame when the vessel is lowered, substantiallyas set forth.

15. In a photographing machine, the combination of a vessel forcontaining a developing solution, means for adjusting said vessel up anddown, a frame for sustaining a sensitized plate in an inclined positionWithin the vessel, and arms and hooks for arresting said frame when thevessel is lowered, substantially as set forth.

16. In a photographing machine, the com- 'bination with the frame andcase, of a sliding vessel for containing a fixing solution, a verticallyadjustable vessel for containing a developing solution, means forsustaining a sensitized plate in the second vessel, and means forautomatically discharging the plate from the second vessel into thefirst one, substantially as set forth.

17. In a photographing machine, the combination of the feedingmechanism, a plate holder, a vertically adjustable vessel for containinga developing solution, means for sustaining a sensitized plate thereinand means for discharging the plate therefrom, and a sliding vessel forcontaining a fixing solution, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANK. M. HOLMES.

Witnesses L. H. GROTE, WORTH OsGoon.

